When Style at Home section editor Catherine Therrien and soon-to-be husband Aaron Putman moved into their newly constructed 1,950-square-foot townhouse in west Toronto, they never pictured themselves living with the boring beige colour that covered every wall for long.

Catherine remembers that the paint choices at the builder’s design centre were, well, limiting. “They gave us the choice of three beiges, ranging from light to dark,” she says. “We could hardly tell the difference between them!” So the couple chose the darkest of the three and agreed to wait to repaint until the house had settled.

Fast-forward a year, and they were more than ready to inject some life into their home. “We felt like we were drowning in beige,” says Catherine. “I admit, at times we were very tempted to pull out our paint brushes and start covering up every inch of it.”

Dining room
Selecting the paint colour for the open-concept main floor was “a big decision,” says homeowner Catherine Therrien. “I felt pressured to pick the right shade because it would be everywhere!” The accent colour, too, had to be carried through both the modern living room and the dramatic dining room for cohesion.
Bright tulips
Bright pink tulips and a white pineapple vase set in an ebony-stained bookcase create a stunning high-contrast decor composition.
Living room
How do you mix patterns and colour in one room? Catherine says it’s all about linking the colour: the bluish grey tones in the peacock feather drapery fabric tie in with the dark blue linen lampshade, the tall blue vase and the grey-and-beige stylish area rug.
The happy couple
Catherine’s fiancé, Aaron Putman, was active in the decor process. “He was my styling assistant,” says Catherine. They spent weekends shopping and DIYing, with Aaron making only a few small requests, like referring to the chic master bedroom as “classic” rather than “feminine.”
In the pretty dog house
The ebony-stained bookcases that flank the gas fireplace were filled with mostly white accessories for a high-contrast look. Touches of coral in the freshly cut flowers and book spines are details that don’t go unnoticed. The couple’s Yorkshire terrier, Chloe, enjoys her perch on the chenille-upholstered sidechair.
Master bedroom
Catherine and Aaron chose this antique-inspired bed so the wallpaper would be visible through the DIY headboard. The piece at the foot of the bed is an IKEA shelving unit turned on its side and updated with casters. The red table lamps were a secondhand find that Catherine refinished with lacquer spray paint and topped with linen shades.
Home office
Painted the same colour as the wall for a seamless effect, the corkboard in the masculine home office showcases inspirational photos from magazines and fabric swatches, which serve double duty as colourful artwork. Catherine and Aaron found the vintage floor lamp at Toronto’s St. Lawrence Market – and got a great deal because the seller was simply sick of carting it around!
An organized desk
Catherine indulged her eclecticism in the feminine home office and used the colour red to link country (the spindle-back chair) with mid century modern (the Tulip-style chair) with statement-making accents (the wallpaper).

Find other great townhouse designs by checking out our Parisian townhouse interior.